This description relates to operation of sensor networks such as those used for security, intrusion and alarm systems installed on industrial or commercial or residential premises.
It is common for businesses to have various types of systems such as intrusion detection, fire detection and surveillance systems for detecting various alarm conditions at their premises and signaling the conditions to a monitoring station or authorized users. Other systems that are commonly found in businesses are access control systems have card readers and access controllers to control access, e.g., open or unlock doors, etc. These systems use various types of sensors such as motion detectors, cameras, and proximity sensors, thermal, optical, vibration sensors and so forth.
Some of the sensors used in these systems are relatively simple and inexpensive, whereas others in comparison are relatively complex and expensive. Each of these sensor types can be prone to failures of various types. One particular failure type is when a sensor gives a false positive, that is, a false indication of a condition that could result in assert of an alarm condition. Those types of sensor failures can be significant sources of false alarms that can cost alarm monitoring companies, building owners, security professionals and police departments significant amounts of money and wasted time that would otherwise be spent on real intrusion situations.